Oh Yeah ... Whoopie ... *party* .......... boo.

[Nina]

Ever had that feeling while watching BtVS and Ats? You was waiting for something and it happened ... and you're happy that they did it but after 4 episodes you think that it is actually not that fun (anymore) and you want to change it back?


It's a feeling that I always have when Angelus is driving. The first time I saw the smirk in Ats season 4, I was jumping around a la Tom Cruise ... but after 2 episodes I saw enough Angelus and I wanted to have Angel back. It's a feeling I always have, I love Angelus but I always want Angel back after 1 or 2 episodes.

[Roses-r-Red]

Ever had that feeling while watching BtVS and Ats? You was waiting for something and it happened ... and you're happy that they did it but after 4 episodes you think that it is actually not that fun (anymore) and you want to change it back?


It's a feeling that I always have when Angelus is driving. The first time I saw the smirk in Ats season 4, I was jumping around a la Tom Cruise ... but after 2 episodes I saw enough Angelus and I wanted to have Angel back. It's a feeling I always have, I love Angelus but I always want Angel back after 1 or 2 episodes.

I'm new here, so "Hi, Nina." I feel the same way.

I also felt this way about Season 6. The Buffy/Spike relationship was really interesting at first. Buffy's feelings made sense to me, being torn out of heaven and all. It was no coincidence that the first time Buffy and Spike slept together is when she finds out his chip doesn't work on her. It was a form of attempted suicide, in my opinion. Yet, as time went on, depressed Buffy started loosing my sympathy.

I liked the storyline but I felt it went too long and started recycling itself. To be honest, I thinks this feeling also stems from the lack of character growth (Buffy) in Season 7. I remember watching the end of Season 6 where Buffy tells Dawn she wants to show her the world. I was so excited because I felt Buffy had grown from her experience and we would see an even stronger/more attached Buffy in Season 7. They really didn't follow through with that idea and that's probably why I feel this way.

I hope that made sense.

[Nina]

Hi!

I agree, season 7 made me season 6 dislike more. If Buffy did became stronger after season 6, season 6 would be much more powerful, instead we got another depressed version of Buffy without any connection to the world. And that really cheesy moment in Grave was forgotten.

[Theresa Marie86]

I feel that exact same way about Angelous. At first i was like, wow! Then it got old, i was ready for angel to come back as well. Same way when anya became a vengaence demon again! At first i was shocked and excited, then when she was harrassing everyone to curse xander it got old too!

[vampmogs]

I agree about Angelus in season four, though I never yearned for Angel back in season 2. I found Angelus captivating and whilst I certainly wasn't wishing them to pro long the return of Angel who's a favourite of mine, I felt completely at ease with the amount of time given to Angelus that year. I don't think he was written as well in Ats season four, I loved him in the cage but his personality changed greatly when he was out and I much preferred the quieter more sinister Angelus than the over the top, making impersonations and very flamboyant, Angelus we got instead.

I felt the same way about the potentials. I was quite excited for the storyline at the beginning but after it happened I just wished they’d go away. Good on paper but poor in execution I feel.

[Theresa Marie86]

I second the idea about the potentials. I feel that all they were , were taking the spotlight away from the scoobies..

[Daihrin]

I, er, third the Potentials issue -- poor execution is right. And, uh, add another vote to the AtS4 Angelus thing -- loved it while he was caged, hated him otherwise, as it just didn't feel like the Angelus of BtVS2.

As for original commentary...? Well, I have to say that the whole druggy Willow arc got that way for me -- at first, I saw it clearly, as it had been building since Season 4, but after a while, well, I got bored by it. I wanted fluffy, cuddly Willow of S2 and S3 back, or at least experimental, intellectual Willow of S4 back. Hell, I'd have been happy with powerful, saucy Willow of S5 (which, really, was the strongest Willow, I think...). But, instead, we had to sit through the thinly hidden metaphor about drug abuse; the timing was right to begin, but it took too long for anyone to realize. I know that's probably what would happen in reality, but it wasn't enjoyable for me to watch.

[vampmogs]

As for original commentary...? Well, I have to say that the whole druggy Willow arc got that way for me -- at first, I saw it clearly, as it had been building since Season 4, but after a while, well, I got bored by it. I wanted fluffy, cuddly Willow of S2 and S3 back, or at least experimental, intellectual Willow of S4 back. Hell, I'd have been happy with powerful, saucy Willow of S5 (which, really, was the strongest Willow, I think...). But, instead, we had to sit through the thinly hidden metaphor about drug abuse; the timing was right to begin, but it took too long for anyone to realize. I know that's probably what would happen in reality, but it wasn't enjoyable for me to watch.

Yeah I think it's the lack of subtlety in the metaphor that grates on people. In my opinion they had a similar metaphor working for them in 'Dark Ages' when Giles used to be into black magic's. The group of teenagers messing around with magic's and creating a demon which ends up killing one of them is a pretty good metaphor for teenagers experimenting in drugs with one overdosing. But it wasn't so obvious that it was easier to stomach.

[kassyopeia]

Yeah I think it's the lack of subtlety in the metaphor that grates on people.

Right, and it's not just the ham-handedness per se, but also that by taking it to such literal heights it became completely contrived. They always had the spectres of seduction and danger looming in the background, whenever magic was used. But it felt completely natural, because it wasn't about the magic as such, it was about the lure of the power it gave people and the unpredictability of the forces and beings they had to call upon. Very nicely handled in the early seasons.

Then, from one moment to the next, they re-structure the metaphor to make magic itself physically addictive. I wonder if they even realized that they basically retconned Willow's floating of pencils for fun into something akin to smoking pot.

[Risa]

If ever there is a plot or theme I got sick of, it was the potentials. A bunch of whiny little brats who are bitching and complaining about everything. They look at Buffy like she is nothing, taking her for granted. Like anyone could be a slayer and stay alive. They completely take for granted the fact that Buffy would, and has, given up her life to save the world and its people. They annoy me so much with their attitudes. If they weren't in Sunnydale doing drills and learning about the big bads where would they be? Dead...thats where. At first I thought the idea of potentials would be cool. After one or two episodes, well I just wanted to mute them.

[prayer]

Honestly I can't really think of any situation where I felt like that. Because the things/couples in Ats I really wanted to happen never did or just for a short while.